


The Set Up

by RedMetalWitch



Category: The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-05
Updated: 2020-01-05
Packaged: 2021-02-27 11:35:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,376
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22136404
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedMetalWitch/pseuds/RedMetalWitch
Summary: "What did I do?!"  Corin gasped.  "I don't even know you!"  The Cathar and the Rodian laughed again."You know damn well what we want.  The Mandalorian and the Asset.  And if we have to tear this ship apart to find the brat, we will."
Relationships: Corin the Stormtrooper (Rescue and Regret)/The Mandalorian (The Mandalorian TV)
Comments: 13
Kudos: 192





	The Set Up

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LadyIrina](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyIrina/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Family and Home](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21758992) by [LadyIrina](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyIrina/pseuds/LadyIrina). 



The Set Up  
By: RedMetalWitch  
Notes: This is for the amazing Lady Irina and is inspired by "The Mandadlorian, his son and the Storm Trooper" series! Her OC, Corin is adorably oblivious, and I love him. He's the first OC I've ever really loved, so, please enjoy some h/c!  
Also: I haven't watched episode 8 yet (as of 1/5/20)! Don't ask why, maybe because we have to wait almost a year to see season 2!! Anyway on Wookieepedia the Mandalorian's name is spelled Din Djarin, so I'm glad I found that out before I finished this!

Corin had been to Vandor before, although it had been quite awhile. From what he knew, the Old Empire had taken all but the most minute traces of Iridium from the mountains and they had been abandoned since.  
Vandor was still barely populated, despite the rugged beauty in every direction. And the snow! Corin could not stop smiling once he spotted the mountains and trees crowned in white. It wasn't a desolate wasteland of snow and ice, it was alive and breathtaking. The child seemed in awe as well as they left the Razor Crest.   
Corin bundled the little one up in his new blanket (it was extra thick and fluffy) that he had begged the Mandalorian to purchase upon their arrival. Well, he hadn't actually needed to beg too much. He'd mentioned the cold of Vandor when the Mandalorian had told him they were headed there next, then Corin reminded him that he no longer had his heat blanket.

"Do you have anything to keep him really warm?"  
"No." the Mandalorian had replied.  
In the brisk cold, at a stall selling blankets of every color and thickness they began to inspect them more closely. Corin hid a smile and thrust a blanket of creamy, white wool at him.   
"This one would be perfect!" he said. When the Mandalorian looked at the blanket, but made no reply, Corin deflated a little. It was perfect, wasn't it? He held up one corner to the child and rubbed it against his cheek as he sat in the crook of Corin's arm. He giggled in delight at the soft texture. "See? He loves it!" Corin said with a bright smile of his own. The Mandalorian drew in a breath and seemed to hold it. Corin felt his smile fade. 

He was asking too much. He knew it. He was amazing at sticking his foot in his mouth. He had no business asking for anything. He was nothing more than a glorified baby-sitter anyway. But still.. The child was so small. He truly would require it. So, Corin swallowed his pride (not at all difficult, especially if it was for the little one he loved so dearly) and said: "Please?" even as he felt his cheeks burning.   
The Mandalorian exhaled in a rush and nodded slowly. Corin's smile rivaled the glittering sun beginning it's descent behind him.

Din paid the vendor and tried not to stare as Corin bundled the child up until only his little face was visible. Corin's delighted laugh made his stomach clench in a way that was both pleasant and unsettling. "How do you do that?" Corin asked the fluffy bundle. "I never understood why women were so entranced by babies. Now I know! You feel warm and cozy now?" the little one cooed in delight. "I knew you would." Din felt his lips twist into a smile until Corin sent that dazzling grin his way. Then he felt his jaw drop and was never more thankful that Corin had no idea how foolish he surely looked just then. "Thank you." he said, and Din could only nod. 

The Lodge was nearly at capacity when they entered. But luck was on their side when they found an empty booth. The Kod'yok population was on the rebound so there was milk and cheese for the little one, and a thick, rich stew for Corin. As usual his Mandalorian had nothing. But Corin made sure to get some to take with them for him to eat later. It was simply too delicious for him to go without.   
They were waiting for a client as they ate and when the Mandalorian rose from the table and motioned Corin to stay seated, he did just that. He didn't want to admit it, but if he had been asked to leave his stew behind unfinished, he would have done so only after being dragged away.  
So intent was he on his meal, he never noticed the approach of a Cathar.  
"You seem to enjoy that very much!" the deep baritone made him jump, startled. He nearly choked on a bit of meat. When he recovered sufficiently, he looked up with a sheepish smile.  
"Do I look like a puffer pig over here?" the Cathar chuckled good-naturedly, his thick mane rippling.   
"Not at all! I don't question your manners, only your hunger. Has it been so long since you've eaten?" Corin shook his head with a smile.   
"No, it's just so good, I guess I can't help myself." Corin felt his face flush in embarrassment. The Cathar laughed even harder at that and Corin felt his ears begin to burn as well.  
"That, I am glad to hear!" he said to Corin's surprise. "You see, my sister makes it herself. And I am always pleased to hear that our guests enjoy her cooking."  
"Oh!" Corin said as realization dawned. "This is your place then?" when the Cathar nodded he added: "Then you have to give my compliments to her! I wish I could get two more orders instead of one!" he said.   
"But of course you can! It would be my pleasure. No extra charge. Usually folks just eat and run or stay and drink. It's nice to have someone just sit and enjoy the food." Corin smiled again, this was indeed a lucky day!

When the Mandalorian returned he told Corin to take the child and return to the ship.  
"I have work to do and I can't have him wandering in the cold. I expect to be back before sunrise." Corin nodded as it was no more than he expected. After his last attempt at 'throwing his life away' as the Mandalorian called it, he had been restricted to child-care detail. And truthfully, he had eaten perhaps too much, and the stew he had gorged on sat heavy in his stomach. He wouldn't mind sleeping the feeling off. He knew the child was tired as well. 

When Corin and the child returned to the ship he was feeling decidedly unwell. He put the dozing child in his little 'room'- if you wanted to be generous and call it that- and ran to the vac tube just in time to vomit everywhere. 

He was still choking and heaving when he heard footsteps enter the ship. Too many footsteps if he was hearing correctly. He shivered and tried to calm his stomach enough to climb to his feet, but luck was definitely not on his side and he again retched violently. He heard laughter and knew it was more than one, and he doubted one of them was his Mandalorian. They descended and he saw the Cathar who had been so generous earlier and a Rodian. Colin felt his face flush in rage, he should have known it was too good to be true.  
"Did you poison me?!" he snarled, his voice hoarse and gritty. The Cathar chuckled as Corin gagged again.  
"I did. Just enough to make you cooperative." Corin shook his head and shuddered violently.  
"I won't." he spat. The Cathar and the Rodian both laughed at that.  
"It really doesn't matter." And then they were both upon him, grabbing his wrists and ankles and dragging him upright. They fastened metal cuffs while he struggled weakly. He was too exhausted from being sick repeatedly, and they easily manhandled him until he was restrained. He felt a vibration and a pull and he was wrenched back until the wrist and ankle cuffs slammed into the steel wall of the cargo bay, pinning him like a specimen ready for dissection. Then he was almost sick again at the thought and prayed they didn't mean to cut him open.  
"What did I do?!" Corin gasped. "I don't even know you!" The Cathar and the Rodian laughed again.   
"You know damn well what we want. The Mandalorian and the Asset. And if we have to tear this ship apart to find the brat, we will." The Rodian said, speaking common strangely, but well enough for Corin to understand.   
"You begin the search." the Cathar snapped and the Rodian nodded and went back to the flight deck. When the Rodian was upstairs the Cathar turned his gaze back to Corin and an ugly sneer made his feline face look even more sinister. "Do you know what the Mandalorians did to my people?"   
Uh oh, Corin thought nervously. He shivered and gagged again. The Cathar chuckled as he took a few steps back to avoid the potential splash zone, but Corin knew he'd already purged everything.   
"Uh? Recently... Or?" he replied when it was clear the Cathar was expecting and answer. The snarl that tore through the cargo bay was answer enough and Corin couldn't help but laugh. "You're serious? That was a really, really, really long time ago!" The Cathar back-handed Corin and he was stunned silent.  
"How dare you?!" the Cathar raged. "Our very fabric of life- destroyed! Our culture! Thousands of years of art and learning, gone! Nothing will ever be as it once was, and you dare to make light of it?!" Before Corin could say a thing the Cathar was tearing his clothing to shreds with his claws. He sliced through the buckles holding his armor in place and tossed it aside. "Our survivors- children and women- were enslaved for generations! I will see every Mandalorian I encounter punished as I see fit! And when he finds you dead and the child gone I will strike! And I will tear him limb from limb."  
"You're a fool." Corin said, his expression scornful.  
The Cathar made him regret his bravado immediately.

Din froze in his tracks. He felt ice crawling up his spine and shivered.  
"Did you forget something?" the client said, sounding mildly annoyed. Din found himself strangely nervous, an unaccountable dread roiling in his gut. Something was wrong. He turned just in time to get hit in the chest with a lazer blast. Snarling in fury, he bathed the client in flames and fired his own blaster until he went down, then leaped over his burning figure and ran back the way they had come.   
He cursed himself for a fool as he ran. He'd allowed himself to be lured away! How had he been so blind? He dared not imagine what was happening to Corin and the little one.

Corin screamed as the Cathar slashed him with his claws again and again. The cuts weren't deep enough to kill him on their own, but they were bleeding badly and each slice burned. His arms, chest, and stomach were covered in red. He made each cut deliberately, slowly, savoring Corin's agony.   
Corin had been able to keep quiet at first, but soon each injury drew stifled whimpers, then ragged groans, then wordless warbles of anguish. Then the Cathar raked one hand down Corin's chest and cut across several bleeding wounds and his choked cry rose to a howl.

Din heard faint cries coming from the direction of the Razor Crest. His heart leaped into his throat and he found himself sprinting faster than ever. He had had an uneasy feeling the moment he had sent Corin and the child back to the ship, but he hadn't thought it had anything to do with leaving them. The client had been vague as many clients were, so he'd assumed it was that. And he had been right about the client after all- the bastard had lured him away and tried to kill him.  
The cries grew louder and more frantic as he caught sight of the Razor Crest through the tall pines. He thought his heart was going to burst, but he never slowed down for a moment.

Corin was definitely feeling dizzy on top of the horrible, burning pain. It's from the blood-loss, he thought with a surprising amount of detachment. The Cathar was speaking to him, tugging his hair in a firm grip, but Corin's ears were ringing, and he didn't really care to try and listen anyway.

He entered the ship none-too-silently in his haste and was stunned to see a Rodian dead on the floor with the child slumped beside him. He stumbled forward with a choked cry and brought the little one close to his chest. He gasped in relief when he realized the child still lived. His breathing was deep and even in sleep and with a shuddering sigh Din put him safely in his bed.  
He heard someone yelling at Corin below and felt an encompassing fury. He crept to the hatch leading below and heard them bellowing at Corin to wake up. He heard what could only be a blow landing and Corin's faint groan. He was down below and shooting a wire around Corin's assailants throat before he made the decision to act. He wrenched the bastard away, and hissed in shock at the sight of Corin.  
He roared in fury and barreled into the furry humanoid and rained blows upon its feline face. A Cathar, he recognized with a snarl of rage. He had been warned of their deep hatred of all Mandalorians even after so many years, but he had never encountered one in his life.   
The Cathar was strong and fast and tried to cut him with his claws. He snarled and Din saw sharp fangs. They rolled across the floor punching, kicking, and growling. Din rammed his helmet into the Cathar's nose and when it fell back with a howl he unleashed the flames and rejoiced as the Cathar's screams grew louder still as it thrashed wildly. Din watched him burn for a moment before using the disintegrater to finish the job.  
He was quickly at Corin's side, destabilizing the restriction cuffs and catching him as he collapsed. He heard a tortured whimper escape Corin's lips and for a moment he had to remind himself to breath calmly and not curse and rage. He eased Corin onto his back and was horrified by the amount of blood he saw. Breathe. Just breathe, he thought to himself. He grabbed everything they had to tend injuries and spent the better part of an hour cleaning and bandaging Corin's wounds. By the time he was finished, he was seeing red.   
He went back up to the flight deck after putting Corin in bed and kicked the dead Rodian until he thought he might break his foot. He then disintegrated him as well. The child slept on. Din picked him up and took him below to sleep beside Corin.

Din heard an agonized gasp. He sat up immediately from his slumped position against the wall. Corin was awake and sitting upright, but his face was twisted in pain and he held himself rigid as he panted for breath.   
"Corin, lie down now!" he barked, too stunned to modulate his volume. "You're hurt." Corin chuckled breathlessly.  
"I- I don't want to move just now." he said between clenched teeth. Din was quickly at his side, easing him onto his back. Corin sighed in relief as he felt the mattress beneath him. "Thank you." he said, his cheeks a faint pink. Din gave him pain-blockers and was relieved when he fell asleep shortly after.

He was eating when he heard Corin yelling. He nearly choked on the food as he bolted to his feet and grabbed his helmet. He leaped down the hatch and spun to see Corin flailing in his sleep.  
"No, please!" he cried as Din strode forward and for a moment he was at a loss. Corin was covered in bandages, he had to wake him, but he couldn't just yell in his face. He began to pat his flushed cheek with his fingers.  
"Corin, wake up." his eyes flew open and he lay gasping, staring at him with his shockingly blue eyes wide with fright. Din felt his stomach twist. "It's just me." he said as soothingly as he was able. If anything that seemed to distress Corin even further and his expression crumpled in misery.  
"I- I'm sorry I-" and to Din's horror tears began to spill from his eyes. "I didn't realize- I mean I didn't think-" he scrubbed his face viciously with a self-deprecating laugh. "I never think! I knew he was a Cathar-"  
"Corin. Stop this. This wasn't your fault."  
"Yes it is! If I wouldn't have eaten that second bowl of stew I wouldn't have been poisoned-"  
"Poisoned?!" Din thundered, and Corin recoiled, his face paling.  
"I- I'm sorry!" he said, covering his face with his hands. "I'm a fool. I was so busy being sick they came right in..." he suddenly sat up in shock, his face twisted in horror. "The little one-!"  
"He's there beside you." Din said firmly. Corin sagged in relief at the sight of the adorable little bundle sleeping beside him, but it was fleeting.  
"He could be gone now because of me. Again!" he swiped at his flushed face angrily again. He would not look at Din.  
"Corin, stop. Please. You were hurt because of me. Because I'm a Mandalorian and he was holding onto an ancient grudge. I am sorry. I should be sorry. Not you. You can't blame yourself every time something bad happens. Especially now. You did nothing wrong."  
"And here I am, hurt again, completely useless. Again!" he stared at his hands in his lap, but his nervousness was clear. "Why do you put up with me? I am nothing but a burden."  
"Stop this!" Din demanded, sitting on the other side of the bed at the little one's tiny feet. "Stop blaming yourself. You are not a burden to me. Do you understand?" Corin nodded, but it was in no way convincing. Din sighed. "You need to rest. When you are healed we can figure out what to do."  
"You see?!" He cried, his eyes brimming again, and Din suddenly wanted to shake him. "We have to sit here with a target on our back because I'm a useless invalid."  
"Enough!" Din cried, jumping to his feet. "The Cathar and the Rodian are dead-"  
"The Cathar has a sister! She made the stew, he told me back at the lodge! How do you know she won't decide to come and try her luck?" Din growled and turned away, heading to the ladder.  
"I'll take care of her."  
"Wait!" Corin gasped. "You can't! You can't just kill her! For all we know she has nothing to do with this!"  
"That's not a chance I'm willing to take." Din snapped. "Even if she doesn't care about the past like her brother did, that doesn't mean she won't want to avenge him!" Corin stammered faintly, unsure what to say, so he said nothing as the Mandalorian stormed away.

Corin awoke to his favorite sound: An adorable giggle followed by small hands patting his scruffy cheeks.   
"Hello, my little one!" Corin murmured. "Is your dad back yet?" he was rewarded with a soft coo that told him nothing, but delighted him none the less. But it wasn't long before his thoughts turned somber and he pulled the little one into his arms. "He's going to grow tired of me eventually." he said with a shaky sigh. "I know he said he wouldn't, but I certainly have been giving him plenty of reasons to question that decision." the child rubbed his cheek against Corin's shoulder, and despite the bandaged wound beneath, it comforted him. "One day.." he trailed off and swallowed, his eyes burning. "One day he'll leave me somewhere and I..." he tried to picture it. To see the Razor Crest flying away without him, to never see the Mandalorian or the child ever again.. His chest ached, like someone was crushing his heart in their fist. The little one chirped softly and pet his cheek.   
He didn't want to think about it any more- or ever again, for that matter. He was tired and sweating and his head was pounding terribly. He closed his eyes.

When Corin woke next he felt like his skin was on fire. The interior of the Razor Crest was nothing but a vague blur of dark and light. He heard the child playing and making his endearing noises of contentment. He staggered to his feet and somehow made it outside.  
Snow was falling gently in large, delicate flakes. As they hit his feverish skin he hissed in relief. And then he was lying in the softest, coldest blanket ever. The cold of the snow made him groan in pleasure. He felt so much better.

Din made his way back to the Razor Crest at a dead run. He'd been gone an hour at the most, and prayed he wasn't too late. He was nearly at his limit, but he had no choice but to push on.  
The female Cathar had tried to kill him on sight. And once he'd beaten her back and subdued her she had laughed in his face.  
"You're too late anyway! Your little pretty boy will be dead soon enough! I coated my brother's claws with slow-acting poison, too!" Din wasted no time, blasting her with the disintegrater and running back the way he'd come.  
He was quickly burning through what little energy he had left and again wished he had a damn jet pack already! He burst into the clearing again and cursed when he saw the bay door open and Corin lying in the snow with the child perched on his shoulder, shivering and chirping an distress. He stumbled over on shaking legs and quickly snatched up the child and set him inside before hurrying back to Corin's side. His hair was covered with snow, but his skin was flushed. He was panting like he'd run for miles. He mumbled something unintelligible that Din couldn't make out.  
"What were you thinking?" he sighed as he hefted Corin over his shoulder and carried him inside. "You could have frozen to death before I got back." he didn't expect an answer, but the former Storm Trooper murmured: "M'sorry." and Din shook his head.  
"Stop blaming yourself. I told you before-"  
"M'sorry!" Corin groaned.  
"Enough. You're very sick. Don't waste your breath." 

Sick didn't begin to describe how bad Corin got. Despite the anti-venom he'd injected into Corin's arm and the anti-toxins he'd managed to pour down his throat, his fever spiked and he became delirious. Whatever he saw terrified him. He lashed out whenever Din drew close but the blows were harmless. He held snow to Corin's forehead and was shocked at how quickly it melted. But Corin relaxed and slumped boneless against the mattress with a sigh of relief, and that was what mattered.  
The reprieve was short though, and Corin was soon thrashing and struggling again. Din lost count of how many times he went out to get snow, but the bedding was soon soaked with Corin's sweat and melted snow. He began shivering violently and Din hauled him up to a sitting position. He didn't even have the strength to lift his head and his groan sounded strangled. The little one shuffled forward dragging his new blanket behind him and offering it with a worried burble. Din wrapped it around Corin's shoulder's and tore the sheets from the mattress with one hand.   
Corin lay back and stared forward sightless, still trembling. His eyes shut tight and he moaned, the sound piercing Din with it's torment. He began to choke and retch again, but his stomach was empty. But the cramps and nausea didn't stop and soon he was writhing in misery.   
Din was at a loss and closer to panic than he had been since he was a child. The little one had recovered surprisingly quick from strangling the Rodian, but he was still looking tired and when he reached out for Corin, he didn't know if he should allow him to help or try to stop him.   
The child made the decision for him, closing his eyes and placing his little hand on Corin's flushed face. Soon Corin sighed and stopped shaking. His face went from bright red to pink, and his eyes closed. The child slumped over, but Din caught him and held him close.

Corin awoke and felt the ship humming and knew they were flying. Where to he couldn't guess and he was too exhausted to think of it much. When he remembered the Cathar and the Rodian he sat upright with a gasp and immediately regretted it when the whole ship seemed to spin wildly. He tried not to cry out as he fell back onto the bed, but apparently he failed, he realized, as he opened his eyes and the Mandalorian hovered over him.  
"What-?" he croaked and began to cough. He groaned and clutched his head as pain speared his temples.  
"Just relax. You are still sick. You aren't as bad as you were, but you need to rest. Don't try to get up again." he said, his tone commanding. Corin's expression must have been as miserable as he felt, for the Mandalorian huffed out an exasperated sigh. "If it wasn't for the kid, you would be dead. This isn't up for debate. Lie down and rest." Corin knew his expression was a sullen pout then, and the Mandalorian huffed again, but it sounded more like laughter. "Are you hungry?" Corin shrugged. "Thirsty, then?" he sounded more amused than annoyed and Corin nodded, his throat too dry to speak.  
He returned quickly with water and Corin drank until he thought he might be sick again. The Mandalorian took the cup and Corin settled back with a yawn.   
"The little one, is he alright?" Corin asked, his voice still rough and tired.  
"Yes, he's sleeping. You should do the same." Corin didn't have enough energy to argue, it was easier to just nod and close his eyes.   
He fell asleep quickly.

Corin awoke to turbulence. He had no clue how long he'd slept but it couldn't have been long. He couldn't keep his eyes open for more than a few minutes and was soon asleep again.

When Corin woke again an unfamiliar face hovered over him and he gasped in shock, recoiling and then falling, then landing with a thud. He heard an unfamiliar voice chuckle and his heart began to race until the Mandalorian appeared and offered him a hand. The confusion had to be apparent on his face because the Mandalorian tilted his head in a way that Corin had come to assume was an unspoken question. He shook his head and took the offered hand, allowing himself to be pulled upright.   
The unfamiliar man smiled at him and even winked! Corin was even more confused. When Corin was back on the bed the man offered his hand. Corin glanced at the Mandalorian who gave a slight nod, before he grasped the hand in front of him.  
"I'm Jaa'rek. Your friend asked me to make sure you were alright-"  
"You wasted credits on a healer?!" Corin cried in dismay. The Mandalorian folded his arms across his chest and Corin knew he was glaring.  
"I did not 'waste' anything."  
"He really didn't." Jaa'rek offered with another smile. When Corin opened his mouth to protest again Jaa'rek cut in before he could utter a word. "I owed him a favor! Really. He owes me nothing." Corin sighed in relief, but when he tried to get up both the Mandalorian and Jaa'rek protested.  
"Stay in bed."  
"But-"  
"It would be for the best if you did. You will still be dizzy and nauseated for another day or so." Corin groaned. He wanted to get up. To be useful. He didn't want to be a burden, but lately he felt like nothing but. He heard the Mandalorian and Jaa'rek talking quietly as they moved further away from the bed. He wanted to deny it. To tell them both he was fine. But he knew he wasn't. His stomach was still roiling. He closed his eyes tight and rolled onto his side, covering his face. Useless! He cursed himself. I'm a magnet for bad luck! I've been so worried about them leaving me... Maybe I should spare them all this grief.. Maybe I should go.. The thoughts made his throat close and his eyes burn. He didn't want to leave them. The very idea felt like a knife in his heart. But he was a burden and nothing more! Sure he could throw himself between a gun and the child- he at least had use as a human shield, but it was only a matter of time before his bad luck ruined everything.   
He was a deserter, after all. A traitor to the Empire. It was only a matter of time before he was recognized and executed. He didn't want to endanger the Mandalorian and the child, but his mere presence did just that. His surroundings blurred and then cleared and he felt two hot tears slip down his cheeks.

"We're heading out for supplies. We'll be back soon." the Mandalorian said as Corin sat up, blinking tiredly.  
"We?" Corin said, rubbing his face. He heard a pleased chirp and saw the child perched on the Mandalorian's shoulders. "Where are we anyway?"  
"Mamendin. Just stay put. We won't be long." Corin nodded and watched them leave. He didn't have much time.

The Mandalorian and the child returned to the ship and immediately saw Corin's Beskar pauldron lying on the floor next to a scarp of paper that simply said: "I'm bad luck and you don't need that." He grabbed the pauldron with a muttered curse.

Mamendin was full of criminals. It was perfect. He was a needle in a haystack here. No one asked questions. No one cared if he was a traitor or that he'd been a Storm Trooper. He was nobody, and that was just fine.  
He had no credits and that would be a problem, but he would earn some. He wasn't sure how he would earn credits when the world started spinning slowly. Working wouldn't be easy if he couldn't see straight. He stumbled and was on his hands and knees before he knew what happened.  
"Well, what have we here?"

It was times like this Din knew a jet pack would be useful. But it would also give him away, and the child had already made it clear that he knew which way to go. Corin had headed away from the small town and into a dense forest. There were several encampments filled with criminals in the surrounding woods and he shook his head ruefully as the child chirped and pointed. Corin was not bad luck. He was entirely too suspicious. But at times like this it did seem as if he was exceptionally good at finding it.   
He was too hard on himself. It seemed like every time something bad did happen, he blamed himself. Din was unsure as to why he felt that way, but it had to stop. Especially considering what had just happened. How could he blame himself for that?  
He froze for a moment when he heard laughter. The child pointed urgently in the same direction. Din crept along as quickly and quietly as he could toward the voices.

Corin groaned as a foot rammed into his side. More bad luck, why was he not surprised?  
"Take care you don't mess up his pretty face!" he heard someone shout in a drunken voice. He was grateful they hadn't hit his stomach, either. He was certain he was going to vomit again. He felt hands on him and began to struggle, but a blow to the back of his head took his will to fight and his consciousness in one fell swoop.

When Din entered the clearing he saw red. He quickly put the child behind a thick tree and motioned for him to stay. Four men were crouched over Corin tearing at his clothes. Corin was unconscious and didn't so much as wince when one of the men grabbed his hair and yanked. Din snarled in fury and darted forward shooting the three closest with his rifle. They were dead before they hit the ground. The one still clutching Corin's hair pulled a knife and pressed it against Corin's throat.  
"Drop your weapon or I'll gut him!"   
"Let him go or I'll tear you apart." Din hissed. The man laughed and tugged Corin's hair again. Din felt his blood freeze when Corin gasped in pain and his eyelids began to flutter. His captor snorted in disbelief.  
"So this pretty thing is yours, eh? How about I cut his face up? He won't be so pretty then, will he?"  
"This isn't going to end well for you unless you drop the knife and let him go." The bandit tugged Corin's hair again and this time he cried out and his eyes slowly opened. It took him longer than usual to become aware of the situation, but when he did, Din's heart sank at the shame that warped his expression.  
"You slaughtered my crew! You think I'll let that-" and then his words were cut off as he began to choke. He dropped the knife as his hands rose to his throat and Corin rolled away. Din smiled as he fired and the bandit fell back, dead. The little one stumbled out from behind the tree and Din quickly scooped him up before he could topple over.   
Corin, however, did not move from his spot on the ground. Din made his way over and knelt beside him.  
"Are you alright?" he asked, unable to keep the worry from his voice. He grew even more alarmed when Corin began to tremble violently. "What is it?" he saw blood caking the back of Corin's scalp and his worry increased. "Talk to me, Corin." he demanded as gently as he was able. Corin shook his head rapidly and began to gasp, then his hands clamped over his mouth and he shuddered. The child cooed softly, his eyes blinking slowly in exhaustion. He needed to get them back to the ship, but Corin's refusal to speak was making him very anxious. "Corin, please. What is it?"  
Corin tried to laugh, but it came out as a sob instead.  
"This!" he finally pushed himself up to his knees, but still did not look at Din. "Me!" he looked down at himself in shock as if just realizing how his clothes were torn and then scrubbed his face angrily with the back of his hand. "I try to do the right thing and I still end up being a burden! I'm nothing but bad luck-"  
"Stop it." Din commanded, his voice colder than he'd meant it to be and cursed when he saw Corin hunch down as if awaiting a blow. "Stop saying this. I have told you how many times already: You are not a burden. You are not bad luck either. Bad things happen. We'll deal with it and move on like we always do." Corin hugged his knees to his chest and said nothing. He closed his eyes and Din saw a tear slip free from each eye. He felt his chest ache at the sight. Then a thought occurred to Din that hadn't before, and he had to voice it, despite how it made his heart feel like it was being torn out. "Do you want to leave us?" Corin said nothing and shook a little harder. Din felt his stomach drop. "Do you?" it was barely a whisper. At last Corin responded.  
"It doesn't matter what I want. You both deserve better than a tag-along who gets injured left and right. Who costs you time and credits-" Din's hand on his back silenced him again. The touch was hesitant, but grew bolder when Corin sniffled miserably. He pulled Corin into a one-armed hug and the little one cooed happily and yawned immediately after.  
"Just answer the question, Corin." Din said, his voice still soft. "Do you want to leave us?"  
"No. I never want that. But-"  
"Just stop. That's all I needed to hear." When Corin opened his mouth to protest again, Din squeezed his upper arm a bit harder than necessary and said: "That's all that matters."   
Corin nodded. He didn't want to argue. He still felt ill and sitting beside the Mandalorian who held him close felt wonderful. He didn't want it to end. He sighed and let his head drop until it rested against the Mandalorian's pauldron. The child dozed on his lap. The sky was yellow, orange, purple, and blue. It was beautiful. He'd never been one to appreciate sunsets, but he couldn't imagine moving from his spot until the sky was dark. It had less to do with the view and more to do with the man beside him and the child sleeping on his lap. He had never been this happy. Or guilty and conflicted for that matter. When had they gone from strangers to the most important people in his life? He didn't want to fail them. He didn't want to do anything to disappoint or hurt either of them. He would do better. He had to. He had to be worthy them, or he didn't deserve to be with them. And that was all he really wanted, more than anything in his life. To stay with the Mandalorian and the child, to never leave their side. But he had to earn that right.  
He huddled closer to the Mandalorian and the little one and swore he would.

The End

Lady Irina I hope you (and everyone else) liked it!!


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